The Inertia of a Lonely Heart
by CrimsonCat
Summary: ~*~Ch. 3~*~ A girl from the future claims to be Roxton and Marguerite's daughter, but is she telling the truth? Roxton and Marguerite would never do the things she accuses them of doing... would they? AU, R&R plz
1. Shattered Innocence

Yes, I know, I know. I can't believe that I started another one either. I just couldn't help myself. lol, I was getting a little sick of LSP, and I'm stuck on my other two fics... so, here is my latest piece of work. I got the title from one of Jewel's poems, incase it looks familiar to any of you. Ok, I've had this idea for awhile now. Oooh, it feels so good to finally be writing this. I promise that one day soon I'll sit down and finish my other fics. But, for now, I hope this is all right.  
I still don't own TLW characters. And I'm not even sure the plot is 100% mine. But, I did invent Nicole. Um.. let's say this is set sometime in season three. And, let's pretend that Ned found his way home shortly after Veronica did. Anyway, read this first little bit, and I'll see you at the bottom.  
  
=^..^=  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Nicole bit down on her lip as she shoved her favorite shirt into her backpack. The pain in her lip kept her mind off of the ache in her heart as she tried to push the tears out of her eyes. It wasn't long before she had bitten through her lip, but the teen ignored the blood as it trickled into her mouth. All that mattered now was getting out quickly.  
  
She glanced around her room once more, wondering if there was anything else she couldn't live without. She had gotten her journal, the money she had managed to save, a change of clothes, her brush, and a few electronic necessities. Her CD player, of course, along with her favorite three CDs. She was traveling light. Besides, she didn't really have anything she couldn't live without. Satisfied that she wasn't leaving behind anything she would want later, Nicole made her way out of the house she had spent the past 16 years living in. This was the third time she had tried to run away. Hopefully, she'd make it this time.  
  
Nicole made it out of her neighborhood in record time. She could see the bus station, and her heart started to pound a little harder. She couldn't believe it. She was actually going to make it this time! Glancing around anxiously, she waited for the traffic to die down a bit so she could cross the street. Later, she would wish that she had just run out into the traffic, but for now she was waiting like a fool. For as she was standing there, he spotted her.  
  
Nicole happened to notice him at the same moment he noticed her. Her grey eyes went wide with fear as her father's brown eyes took on that murderous glint he was so famous for. Her heart leapt into her throat as he started roughly pushing his way through the crowded downtown sidewalk to get to her.  
  
Nicole didn't waste another moment. She took off in the opposite direction. Away from her father, and away from the bus station. Nicole cursed herself as she ran. She should have known he was going to be downtown. He was always downtown. She glanced back only once, her insides shivering in fear. He would kill her this time. Nicole was sure of it. Her ribs still ached from the beating he had given her last night. She was sure he had broken one of them while kicking her, and each step hurt like hell. But she kept running. She couldn't afford to let him catch her. She didn't want to die like that.  
  
Nicole turned her attention back to the busy sidewalk, trying to keep from colliding with anyone. But she quickly came to a full stop. Her father's best friend was just ahead. Nicole heard her father shout something, and his friend turned towards her.  
  
"Stop her!" Her father shouted.  
  
His friend moved towards her, and Nicole glanced around frantically. Spotting an ally, she bolted down it. Ignoring the sharp pain in her side, Nicole ran for all she was worth. She didn't notice that the air in front of her was shimmering, almost like water. Instead, she ran right through the fabric of her reality without even knowing it.  
  
Nicole came to a sudden halt as the filthy alleyway melted into a lush amazon jungle. She glanced behind her, expecting to see concrete but finding only more jungle. She swallowed nervously before walking forward to explore her new surroundings. But she wasn't afraid. Nothing could be worse than the hell she had just left behind.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"How much longer?" Finn demanded.  
She, Roxton, and Challenger were out collecting plants Challenger insisted he needed. Much too dull, in the energetic young blonde's opinion.  
  
"Really, Finn." Challenger sighed. "We're almost there. Once we get this final plant, we'll be able to head back home."  
  
"Well, let's hurry up then." Finn smiled, quickly moving past Roxton and Challenger, taking the lead.  
  
"She's almost as bad as Marguerite." Challenger muttered.  
  
Roxton couldn't help but laugh.  
"Look on the bright side, George. At least she doesn't have Marguerite's temper." Roxton pointed out.  
Challenger couldn't help but agree with that.  
  
"Is this it?" Finn called out, rushing back with a plant in hand.  
  
Challenger glanced at the plant and nodded.  
"Yes, that's it. Well done Finn."  
  
Finn smiled, proud of herself.  
"Can we go back to the Tree house now?" She asked.  
  
"What?" Challenger looked up from the plant. "Oh, yes, of course." He assured her.  
  
"What do you think the others are up to?" Finn asked Roxton as they started the trek back home.  
But Roxton didn't answer her. The hunter had his riffle ready and was scanning the bushes along the path.  
  
"What is it?" Challenger asked quietly.  
  
"I thought I heard something." Roxton replied.  
  
"Raptor?" Finn suggested, loading her crossbow.  
  
"No, I don't think so." Roxton shook his head.  
  
Before they could say anything else, a young girl walked out of the bushes to their left. She looked oddly familiar, although Roxton was sure he had never seen her before. The girl stopped dead when she saw them. A look of pure terror taking over her features before she turned around and ran back the way she had come.  
  
"Hey! Wait!" Finn called after her.  
  
"We have to catch her." Roxton exclaimed. "She's headed straight for a T-rex nest."  
  
The explorers wasted no time in going after her. They had to stop her before she stumbled into the nest and got herself eaten.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Nicole felt like screaming. She had thought she was safe. That she had left her father behind when she had suddenly found herself in the middle of nowhere. How the hell had he managed to find her? She ran blindly, unsure of how much longer she'd be able to keep this up. Her energy was quickly fading, and the pain in her ribs kept growing. She heard them shouting after her, and made herself run faster. She couldn't let him catch her. Not this time.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Roxton cursed under his breath. The girl was surprisingly fast. He just hopped that they would be able to get to her in time. Briefly, he wondered what she was so afraid of. That look of terror had startled him, and if he didn't know better he would have thought he was what she was so afraid of. But that couldn't be. He had never seen the girl before, he was sure of it.  
  
Roxton was relived to notice that the girl was starting to slow down. She also seemed to be limping pretty badly, clutching her side as she ran. Another few moments, and he'd reach her, thank God. She wouldn't reach the nest.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Nicole could feel him getting closer, and the other two weren't far behind. But she wasn't going to let him take her home. He wasn't going to lay another hand on her. Besides, if he didn't kill her, Nicole was sure her mother would. Her mother was just itching for a reason to punish her. But, no. She wasn't going to give up without a fight.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Roxton quickened his pace as the girl finally stopped. She was hunched over, breathing rapidly. Reaching her, he placed a hand on her shoulder gently.  
  
"Are you all right?" He managed, slightly out of breath. The girl had given him quite a run.  
Challenger and Finn weren't far behind him, catching up before the girl answered Roxton's question.  
  
"What was that about?" Finn demanded.  
  
Without a sound, the girl turned around quickly. She wielded an impressive looking hunting knife, and used it to slice at Roxton. The hunter jumped out of the way quickly, barely avoiding the sharp blade.  
  
"Get the hell away from me!" She hissed, trying once more to catch Roxton with the blade.  
  
"Whoa!" Roxton exclaimed, once more avoiding the sharp point.  
  
Finn tackled the girl, roughly shoving her to the ground. The two wrestled for a few moments before rolling together down a hill neither had noticed. Roxton and Challenger watched in horror as they tumbled down the hillside, colliding with rocks and large branches on the way down. Once they reached the bottom, Finn rolled away from the strange girl. The blonde got to her feet as Roxton and Challenger quickly made their way down towards them.  
  
"Are you all right?" Challenger asked.  
  
"I think so." Finn assured him.  
Roxton knelt down beside the young girl, checking for injuries.  
  
"Careful." Finn called out.  
  
"It's all right, she's out cold." Roxton replied.  
  
The hunter glanced up at his friends.  
"So, what do we do?" He asked.  
  
"Well, we can't just leave her out here." Challenger frowned.  
  
"Yes we can!" Finn exclaimed. "She tried to kill Roxton!"  
  
"No, Challenger is right." Roxton argued. "We'll bring her back to the tree house with us. Maybe once she wakes up and has had a chance to calm down, she'll be a bit more civil."  
  
Finn regarded the two men in disbelief as Roxton scooped the girl up into his arms.  
"What if she kills us all in our sleep?" Finn demanded.  
  
"She's hardly strong enough to kill anyone." Challenger assured her.  
  
"Fine." Finn sighed, seeing she was outnumbered. "But don't say I didn't warn you."  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Oooh, strange hu? lol, how many of you are wondering what the hell is going on? I know it all happened kinda quickly... I'll try and slow things down a bit in the next chapter. Thoughts anyone? lol, anyone notice how much the name 'Nicole' shows up in my fics? I can't help it. It's just such a good name. (no, lol, it isn't mine). Anyway... What'll happen next? Will Nicole harm our explorers? Why is she so afraid of Roxton? And how is she going to react when she sees Marguerite? Gasp! Could she really be their daughter?! You'll have to keep reading to find out. See you all next chapter. But, before you go, don't forget to review and let me know what you think. That little button down there. No, not that one... yea, that one there. Click it.. now type something pretty! lol  
Dai stiho  
~CrimsonCat~ 


	2. Mommy Dearest

Can I just say that I am seriously un-original? I was going through my LW fics, and I noticed how alike they all are. I mean, how many times am I going to have Marguerite hurt her ankle? lol, does that annoy anyone else... or am I just being over-critical again?  
  
But, wow, I'm glad you all like the story so far. Thanks for all the kind reviews. Sorry for taking your idea Veggie5. I hate it when I do that :p. And if you guys aren't more careful with your praises, I'll soon become hard to live with. lol ;)  
  
Jaclyn:- Yay! *hugs* I've missed your reviews, girl. I hope you feel better soon.  
  
Yup, so anyway, here is the next chapter. Surprisingly, it didn't take very long for me to write. This fic is practically writing itself, which is very nice. Sooo... you read this, and I'll see you at the bottom.  
  
=^..^=  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"You know Roxton, you have got to stop bringing home strays." Marguerite quipped.  
  
"Very funny Marguerite. How is she doing?" Roxton asked.  
He had brought the girl home about an hour ago, and was back to check up on her. She was still unconscious.  
  
"She's in pretty bad shape." Marguerite sighed. "She's got a broken rib, and numerous bruises. Not to mention that nasty bump on her head."  
  
"A broken rib?" Roxton echoed. "I didn't think the fall had been that bad."  
  
"It wasn't." Challenger agreed. "Finn walked away with hardly a scratch."  
  
The three explorers were standing around the bed the girl occupied. Finn had dragged Veronica out hunting, and Malone was off writing in his journal somewhere.  
  
"Shouldn't she be awake by now?" Roxton wondered.  
  
"Looks like she was on the verge of exhaustion when we caught up to her." Challenger replied. "There's no telling how long she'll be unconscious."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Marguerite regarded the young girl. Her dark brown, almost black curls framed her pale face as she slept. Marguerite frowned. The girl was much too pale. She looked pretty underweight too, meaning she probably hadn't been eating very well. She looked so small, and vulnerable just laying there. And there was a strange familiarity around her, almost like Marguerite knew her somehow.  
  
"Marguerite?" Roxton spoke, startling her out of her thoughts.  
Marguerite turned to look at him.  
  
"Are you all right?" He looked concerned.  
  
"Why wouldn't I be?" Marguerite asked, slightly defensive.  
She took one last look at the girl before moving to the door.  
  
"I'll be in my room if anyone needs me."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
It was pure chance that Veronica happened to be in the room when the girl finally woke up, two days later. The jungle beauty had just walked in the door of the spare room when the young brunette's eyes were fluttering open. She groaned softly, her hand pressed against her temple in an attempt in an attempt to dull the pain.  
  
"Challenger, She's awake." Veronica called.  
  
The girl winced.  
"Do you have to be so loud?" She muttered.  
  
Veronica approached the girl's bed, concern for the small stranger painted across her face.  
"How are you feeling?" The blonde asked.  
  
The girl regarded Veronica, as if seeing her for the first time. Her grey eyes got very wide as she glanced around frantically.  
"Where the hell am I?" She panicked.  
  
"It's all right, you're safe." Veronica was quick to assure her.  
  
"Ah, so you're finally awake." Challenger smiled as he entered the room. "How are you feeling?"  
The girl regarded him.  
  
"You.. I saw you in the jungle." She realized.  
  
"Ah, your memory in intact. Good."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Nicole studied the man before her. There was something she was forgetting. Something important. Her stomach tightened of it's own free will. Something it had taken to doing just before something really bad happened. Nicole really didn't like this.  
  
"Challenger!"  
  
The angry voice echoed through the room, and Nicole could have cried. A few seconds later, her mother stormed into the room screaming about some piece of clothing the man had ruined.. or something like that. Nicole wasn't really listening.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Marguerite, please." Challenger tried to reason with her. "It was an accident."  
  
"Accident my foot." Marguerite raged. "How did the only good blouse I have left end up in your rag pile?!" Her voice was shrill, making Challenger wince. "And what the hell did you do to it?!"  
  
"Marguerite!" Veronica exclaimed, trying to capture the older woman's attention. "You're not making a very good first impression."  
  
Marguerite blinked, noticing for the first time that the young girl was wide awake. Not to mention regarding her with obvious terror. The heiress sighed.  
  
"Marguerite Krux, meet..." Veronica paused, realizing that they still didn't know the girl's name. "Sorry, what did you say your name was?" Veronica asked, slightly embarrassed.  
  
"I know who she is." Venom dripped from the girl's voice.  
  
"You do?" Veronica looked startled.  
  
"Have we met?" Marguerite asked, just as confused.  
  
"You're not taking me back." The girl insisted. "I'll kill you first! You aren't touching me!"  
The three explorers were taken aback.  
  
"Perhaps your memory isn't as intact as we'd hoped." Challenger suggested, moving towards the young girl.  
  
Before anyone could react, she had leapt out of bed and was moving towards Marguerite with another of her knives. She was amazingly fast.  
  
"Whoa!" Veronica exclaimed, grabbing her arm and snatching the knife. "What the hell are you doing?"  
  
"Why do we keep bringing crazy people up here?!" Marguerite demanded, obviously shaken.  
  
"Are you all right?" Challenger asked.  
A glare was the only reply he got.  
  
"I'm not going back!" The girl shouted. "Let me go!"  
  
Veronica struggled to keep her under control, although she was obviously having some difficulty. Eventually though, she stopped struggling and Veronica let her go.  
  
"Are you going to behave now?" Marguerite demanded, quite annoyed with the strange child who was glaring at her.  
  
"Now, how do you know Marguerite?" Challenger asked.  
  
The girl glanced at the scientist before turning her attention back to Marguerite.  
  
"She's my mother."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"She's your WHAT!" Veronica exclaimed, completely shocked. That had been the last thing she'd expected to come out of the girl's mouth.  
  
"That's ridiculous." Marguerite insisted. "I don't have any children."  
  
"Are you sure?" Veronica asked, her eyes still a little wide.  
  
"I think I'd know." Marguerite snapped.  
  
"Please!" The girl exclaimed. "Don't act like you don't know me. Don't act like you didn't follow me here to take me back."  
  
"What in God's name are you talking about?!" Marguerite demanded loudly. "You must have hit your head harder than we thought."  
  
"Ladies, please." Challenger interrupted. "Let's start at the beginning." He regarded the girl. "Now, what is your name?"  
  
"Nicole." She replied, not taking her eyes off of Marguerite. "Nicole Elizabeth Roxton."  
  
Marguerite made incoherent noises at the girl's name. It just wasn't possible.  
"She's not my daughter!" The heiress insisted.  
  
"Hold on a minute Marguerite." Challenger shushed her. He turned his attention back to their young guest. "All right, Nicole, this is very important."  
  
Nicole turned from Marguerite to regard Challenger, giving him her full attention.  
  
"Where were you born?" He asked.  
  
"London, England."  
  
"And what year?"  
  
"1984."  
  
Challenger's eyes got very wide.  
  
"What?" Nicole asked, worried that she had done something wrong. Things never went well when she did something wrong.  
  
"It's only 1922." Veronica told her softly.  
  
Marguerite sighed in relief.  
"I told you she wasn't mine." The heiress muttered.  
  
"She must be from another timeline... another reality." Challenger said, obviously excited. "This really is amazing."  
  
Nicole eyed Marguerite warily.  
"So, she isn't my mother?" She asked.  
  
"Of course not!" Marguerite snapped at her.  
  
Nicole's eyes hardened.  
"You sure act like her." She insisted.  
  
"Roxton isn't going to believe this." Veronica chuckled.  
  
"Roxton?" Nicole asked, alarmed. "John Roxton?"  
  
"The one and only." Marguerite replied.  
  
"Maybe not, Marguerite." Challenger countered. "It stands to reason that there would be an alternate Roxton as well. The girl's father, I'm sure."  
  
"He.. he can't find me." The alarm in Nicole's voice had dissolved into terror. "I ran away... he.. he'll kill me. I can't let him find me!"  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Nicole shivered, picturing what her father would do when he found her. As nice as these people seemed, she couldn't stay with them if there was the chance he might find her. Without any warning, she was up and out of the room before they could stop her. The stranger's cries of alarm followed her as she ran up the couple steps. However, she wasn't looking where she was going and ran right into someone. Nicole crashed into the floor, pain exploding in her rear.  
  
"What's the hurry?"  
  
Nicole's heart almost stopped at his voice. She glanced up at the man towering over her, and screamed.  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
If this were a movie, this is where those creepy, annoying violins would be playing. You know, that 'something-evil-is-happening' scary background music.. lol, I'm not making any sense, am I? Oh well, what else is new?  
I hope I got the year (1922) right. I'm pretty sure that's the year it is in season three... If I'm wrong, which is very possible, just let me know and I'll change it. Also, don't forget to check out my other fic, Forgotten Angels. (I'm not above a little shameless advertising). But, if you like this one, then you'll probably like FA too. Anywho... review, and I'll see you next chapter.  
Dai stiho  
~CrimsonCat~ 


	3. Pure Paranoia

Okay, just to clear something up.. Nicole is from another reality. R & M didn't live until 1984, her parents arn't the R & M we all know and love. Nicole's parents are.. well.. evil, for lack of any better word. But you'll have to keep reading to find out how evil.  
  
Ok, enough of that.. *big hug* Thank you all so much! I didn't think there would be such a high level of interest in this fic. I'm quite pleased :) Also, so incrediably sorry it took me so long to update the darned thing. lol, I can't beleive how many of you emailed me, asking where the next chapter was. Here it is! See? Isn't it pretty?  
  
Very sorry.. I havn't slept yet. Plus, I'm very, VERY excited about the LW gathering this weekend. Even if my friend is ditching me, and it looks like I might have to go alone.. still. EEII! *Hops around excitedly* Saturday! That's like.. *counts* four days away! That's insane!  
  
okay, okay, I'm almost done. Just two more things. One, please check out my latest LW fic, 'And her little dog too'. It's a Wizard of Oz spoof, with a LW twist. I'm going to have another chapter for that uploaded tomorrow, btw. All written, just have to post it. And, finally, could I convince you to check out this link? http://quiz.ravenblack.net/blood.pl?biter=crimsoncat  
It's a fun, game type page.. I need you to visit it so I get points. I'm all about the points. But, without further ado (yes, I'm done), here is the chapter you all had to wait so long for. Hope you like it.  
  
=^..^=  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Nicole shuddered. She was sitting on the couch in the living room, while Marguerite, Challenger, and Veronica were in the kitchen trying to explain things to Roxton. Both her mind and heart were racing. She had to get away while she could. There was no telling what they would decide to do with her. Even if they said that Marguerite and Roxton weren't her parents, why should she believe them? What if they were all in on this together, each lying just so they'd be able to get her back home. Screw that!  
  
Nicole got up off of the couch slowly, keeping a close eye on the four adults in the kitchen. It wasn't too far to the elevator. She was sure that she'd make it. And once she hit the jungle floor, Nicole was positive that they wouldn't be able to catch her. She'd be home free.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"My daughter?" Roxton repeated, obviously surprised. "Are you sure?"  
  
Challenger launched into his newest theory about parallel dimensions, and alternate time lines. When he was done, the other three just looked more confused.  
  
"All right.." Veronica was the first to speak. "Then what do we do with her?"  
  
"She can't very well stay here." Marguerite said, putting her two cents in. "We have to find a way to get her back to her own time."  
  
"And how are we supposed to do that?" Roxton sighed.  
  
"Oh, it's not impossible." Challenger told his friend. "Difficult perhaps, but not impossible." Challenger rambled, excitedly.  
  
"There have been a number of theories about other dimensions, where one might find different versions of himself, but it could never be proven. Not until now, that is. Just think what would happen if.."  
  
The scientist was interrupted by the sound of the elevator rising. The four adults turned towards the noise, noticing that Nicole was more than halfway to the elevator.  
  
"That must be Malone and Finn, back from their trip down to the lake." Roxton said.  
  
"And where do you think you're going?" Marguerite asked the guilty looking teen, her voice a few notches higher than usual.  
  
"Just looking for the bathroom." Nicole replied, offering the heiress a weak smile.  
Marguerite's eyes narrowed slightly.  
  
"I don't trust her." Marguerite spoke softly so that only her friends would hear her.  
  
"Of course you don't." Roxton replied, just as softly. "She's acting just like you."  
Marguerite turned away from the young girl to glare at Roxton.  
  
"Really, Marguerite, stop being silly." Challenger sighed. "She's sixteen years old. How dangerous could she be?"  
Roxton, Veronica, and Challenger left the kitchen, heading towards the elevator. Marguerite frowned.  
  
"If she's supposed to be my daughter, she could be very dangerous." Marguerite muttered to herself. "Especially if she thinks she's in danger."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Man, she has worse manners than I do." Finn, never one to hide what she was thinking, exclaimed.  
Nicole glanced up, her cheeks reddening slightly.  
  
"Its, uh, been awhile since I had any real food." She said.  
The young girl had practically been shoveling the food into her mouth, barely bothering to chew before she swallowed it.  
  
"How long were you in the jungle for?" Malone asked.  
  
"A few days." Nicole shrugged, reaching for some more of the raptor meat. "I didn't eat much."  
  
"Well, by all means, eat as much as you can." Challenger reassured her.  
  
"Yes, eat up." Roxton agreed.  
Nicole refused to meet Roxton's eyes. Something the others didn't miss.  
  
"You can trust us you know." Veronica told the young girl. "We aren't going to hurt you."  
  
The jungle beauty managed to catch Nicole's eyes for a second before she adverted them. Veronica sighed, worried that she wasn't getting through to her.  
  
"It's been a long day.." Nicole shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Is it all right if I go to bed a little early?"  
  
"You'll be staying in the room you woke up in." Challenger told her. "Make yourself at home."  
  
Nicole nodded and slipped away from the table. Once she had vanished from sight, Marguerite was quick to let her opinion be known.  
  
"There is no way in hell that girl is ever going to trust us." She stated mater-of-factly, not even bothering to look up from her food.  
  
"What makes you say that?" Veronica asked.  
Marguerite turned her attention to the younger woman, an amused expression on her face.  
  
"Have you seen the way she looks at me? Or how she won't even look at Roxton? She acts like a puppy that's been beaten." Marguerite's amused expression vanished.  
  
"I doubt her parents treat her very well. She'll expect us to treat her the same." Marguerite returned her attention to the remainder of her meal.  
  
"She isn't going to trust us." The heiress repeated. "Not a chance in hell."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Nicole sat down on the bed slowly. It felt as though every part of her body was shaking, and they were. She wasn't used to being so close to her father for so long. Even if he wasn't her actual father, or so they said, it didn't make any difference. All through dinner, every muscle had been tense, waiting for that slight change in Roxton's tone. Or the small twitch at the corner of his right eye that always happened mere seconds before he launched an attack on her. Nicole had been tense all night, waiting for a beating that never came. It was exhausting. Every time he moved, her heart would beat even faster. There was no way she would be able to stay with them. She couldn't live this way. Never knowing when, or even if, he would strike.  
  
With a quiet sigh, Nicole moved into the center of the bed. She curled up as tight as she could, as a cat might. Closing her eyes, Nicole decided that she had at least another half-hour before they were done eating. She could let herself rest for thirty minutes, but no more. One single tear escaped her closed eyes before Nicole could pull herself back under control.  
  
'You've been in tighter spots than this.' She told herself. 'Things have been much worse.'  
Nicole inhaled deeply.  
  
'There we go. Good girl. Calm down, and get some sleep. Thirty minutes, no more, ok? You can run tonight, while they are sleeping. Just get some rest.'  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Thoughts anyone? You know what to do! Click the button! Click it! lol. Don't forget to check out my other fic, or visit that web page. Pretty please. Both would be greatly appreciated. So.. review, and let me know what you think. Worth the wait? I'll try and make the next chapter eventful.. We'll see what happens. I'm working on it. In the meantime, click that button, and I'll see you next chapter.  
Dai stiho  
~CrimsonCat~ 


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